Sanborn takes BRRC post in stride

RUNNING

One of the first things to realize about Jeff Sanborn, Baltimore Road Runners Club's new president, is that he is not without a sense of humor.

When asked to list his running highlights, he mentions his 2-hour, 29-minute, 13-second, 75th-place finish in the 1983 New York City Marathon.

But when asked to enumerate his low lights, he quickly quips: "Too numerous to mention."

But the giveaway about the light touch with which Sanborn will approach his new job came when he was asked how he came to run for BRRC president.

"Basically, what happened is that I was asked to head up an executive search committee," says the 38-year-old McDonogh School history teacher. "We tried to come up with some details about where we were going and the mission of the club. Finally, at one of our meetings, Maureen said, 'Why don't you just apply?' "

When interrupted and asked if Maureen is his wife, Sanborn deadpanned: "Now, she's no Hillary . . ." Then his voice trailed off.

Kidding aside, Sanborn has the background in running, as well ** as the foresight, to guide the 21-year-old club.

As an undergraduate at Bowdoin College in Maine, where he was born, Sanborn was a 4:11 miler.

"I ran a 1:07:51 at the Philly Half [Marathon], which is probably better than what I did at New York in 1983. I'm sort of a miler turned distance runner," says Sanborn, who won the GBMC Father's Day 5K with his daughter, Sarah, this year.

On club priorities, Sanborn says:"It's not that the club hasn't been doing what it was supposed to be doing, but running isn't as faddish or as popular as it was in the '80s. We've sent out a number of surveys to see what members would like us to do. I think it's low-key races, I think it's the camaraderie on the weekends, and, of course, it's the newsletter."

On the BRRC's relationship with the state's other running clubs, he says: "I'm interested in seeing what's out there, and what's working. On the other hand, there's been some transition, some turnover. I think you can get away from what works. I want to see what the heart and the soul of this club is.

"The other thing is the whole area of volunteerism. You can participate in two ways -- you can either be a runner or you can be a volunteer. You won't get as much exercise as a volunteer, but both things are vital to the success of the club."